Walhalla man arrested in fraud charges

WALHALLA — The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Walhalla man over the weekend on charges of intent to defraud the South Carolina Education Lottery.

Eric Alan Jenkins, 30, of 102 Boomdocks Drive was booked into the Oconee County Detention Center around 4:47 p.m. Friday.

According to an arrest warrant, Jenkins attempted to cash stolen lottery tickets at a business on Scenic Plaza Drive in West Union.

The ticket in question was stolen as part of a burglary that occurred June 1 at Tunnel Town Express on Highlands Highway in Mountain Rest.

As part of the same investigation, Heath Allan Bates, 33, of Morton Drive was booked into the Oconee County Detention Center around 5:09 a.m. June 2 on charges of intent to defraud the S.C. Education Lottery after he tried to cash stolen tickets June 1 at a business on S.C.11 south.

Bates also had a municipal bench warrant from the city of Walhalla.

The burglary at Tunnel Town as well as the incident with the stolen lottery tickets remains under investigation by the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office.

Jenkins was released from the Detention Center on Friday afternoon on a $25,000 personal recognizance bond.